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Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Why's Everybody Always Pickin' On Me?

As property managers, we deal daily with homeowner reaction to compliance
letters. Sometimes the owner cycles
through all the stages of grief in a single phone call: Shock, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression
and Acceptance. We share in his/her frustration. No matter how nicely worded the letter, it’s
often interpreted as a personal assault on the receiver. It can say, “If this situation has already
been addressed, please disregard this letter.”
It can say, “Let us know how we may work together for resolution.” It can provide specific easy steps to resolve
the matter, or to formally dispute the citation. Rather than re-read the message and take a
deep breath, some people immediately pick up the phone and leave us a message
that would embarrass their children.

Dealing with covenant violations is one of the main
reasons self-managed communities finally choose to hire a management company. The fact remains, few of us like confrontation or arguing with
our neighbors each and every day.

The question is - How to diffuse the situation, when an angry owner
calls?

We:

…listen, and let the homeowner get everything out of
his/her system - unless he/she insists on remaining abusive. Piñatas are for children. Sometimes it’s best to terminate the
conversation and let the person get a good night’s sleep before re-approaching
the matter.

…assure him/her that this is stressful for us, too. Why would we deliberately pick on a person,
knowing the wasted time we face afterward?
We are managing more than just one community, and don’t have the luxury
of being bullies.

…confirm that we are issuing hundreds of letters a
month. Other owners are also receiving
requests to address various situations. We are not displaying our personal
preferences, but the decision set by a majority of the neighborhood on any
particular item.

…remind him/her about a reason why he/she chose this
community as home: Curb
appeal. Sure, one violation may be
minor, but combined with all the other violations over time, property values
ultimately drop. It is destruction by a
thousand small cuts.

…provide him /her with one or more solutions. No one likes
to have their back against the wall. The
homeowner may not get everything he/she wants, but just reminding the owner of the ability to request a hearing to discuss concerns with the Board, or providing
the name of a potential vendor to conduct the work, goes a long way.

…ask him/her to
get involved on a neighborhood committee, perhaps one related to the cited violation. By close contact with
others, this homeowner becomes more aware of the impact of his/her future actions.

…seek his/her input on how the situation could have been handled better. If the neighbor’s dog was constantly tearing
up the yard, how much time would this person allow for the neighbor to address
the situation?

Will the above
resolve every situation? No, never. There are those who require professional help
for issues not related to the compliance letter, or even remotely related to
the homeowners association. In this
instance, prepare to pave the path with documentation, travelling months or
perhaps years before resolution. To
avoid heartburn, focus on the process and not the personal.